7880/The Day Without Invasions or Crises

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The Day Without Invasions or Crises
Date of Scene: 18 September 2021
Location: Main Room - Titan's Tower
Synopsis: Donna and Kian let Kara know they are still alive. Nobody attacks the Tower.
Cast of Characters: Donna Troy, Kian, Kara Danvers




Donna Troy has posed:
    It has been unusually quiet at Titans Tower for the last few days, mainly due to half the team being trapped in Hades.  It's not enough to make the place empty—there are always people coming and going these days, and the team had got pretty huge, but it makes a difference.
    For example, with Nightwing and Donna gone, you had a higher chance of escaping being dragged into a training session.  With Caitlin away, nobody had to be too worried about making a bit of a mess of the kitchen area.  With Nadia away, there was a distinct lack of strange noises coming from the laboratories.  With Vorpal away, there was a whole lot less glitter.
    Rumor had however spread amongst the Titans that the ones trapped in Hades were no longer trapped in Hades, and had returned to the tower last night, whole and relatively undamaged.
    One proof of the truth of this rumor is the presence of Donna, arriving up in the main room after her normal morning training session.  It's a lot later in the morning than is usual for Donna's morning training session, but given the surprising news of Raven being in a good mood and wanting to go clubbing (or at least being prepared to without huge amounts of argument and dark magics) that's not so surprising.
    "Hey all!" Donna yells out as she comes out of the elevator from the gym level, and heads to the kitchen area to fetch one of Caitlin's patent Snacky Shakes from the fridge.  "Anyone up and about?"

Kian has posed:
    Crisis!  The Tower is out of purple Kool-Ade!
    Well, okay, not actually a crisis, Kían is coping by stirring sugar into water until it's pretty much supersaturated.  Yes, he has red and blue food coloring ready.  "Oh!  Kié, Ta… nnh.  Donna."  He glances towards the ceiling, as though looking through it to the sky above.  "I haf jus' been up, but now I am back.  How iss…."
    He hesitates, because it's still a weird situation, but he's curious and has to ask.  "How iss Rae?  She did say she was goin' to end me an' Gar, an' I think that was a joke… but you can never tell for sure wit' her."

Kara Danvers has posed:
    Well, some of the Titans might be slacking off on training without supervision.  Supergirl, however, isn't that type.  Despite fearing the disapproving looks she'd get if any of her mentors ever found out… she takes being a hero seriously, and that means putting in training time.  Even when you're a Kryptonian.  So, Kara is in the training room, fighting automated opponents when her hearing picks up Donna's arrival.
    Suddenly a blur of blue and red appears in the main room.  "You're back!" the Maid of Might cries happily.  "Are you okay?  Where's everyone else?  What happened?"  A rush of questions follow, combining Kara's concern for her freinds and her natural reporter's curiousity.

Donna Troy has posed:
    "Rae's doing well," Donna calls back to Kian from the fridge, where she's busy polishing off one Snacky Shake (nutrient complete, delicious, and a thousand calories a glass) before fetching herself another.  "And of course she was joking.  You can tell when she's not joking, because you're already dead."
    Donna turns a grin on Kian.  "Besides, if she disintigrated the three of you, she'd have to find more Titans to terrify.  You three are her favorite victims!"  She gives him a quick wink, which by now has probably become clear to the alien bird is an indication that what has just been said should not be taken seriously.  However whether that means that really Raven would disintegrate them or something less worrisome is something the Akiar will have to figure out himself.
    Donna calls out a cheerful "Heya SG!" as she's rinishing out the snacky shake bottle and dropping it in the recycling, and when she's done heads over to give Kara a one-armed hug.  ",kara, ehrosh :bem" she adds, reinforcing the greeting with a more formal Kryptonian hello.  "Everyone's okay.  No problems at all.  Had to fight an army of zombie centaurs, but they weren't so tough.  Stopped off for a couple of days on Themyscira."

Kian has posed:
    "I woul' like to think that she woul' not actually make us not exist," the birdman says dubiously.  Rae's kind of joke is not a form of humor with which Kían is familiar.  He sips his sugar water, and adds another spoonful.  Almost, but not quite there.
    He glances up at the *whoosh* of someone with super-speed arriving, and realizes he's kind of gotten used to that sort of thing by now.
    When the day comes that Terry makes good on his threat to show 'The Wizard of Oz' to the birdman, Kian will laugh long and hard at "My!  People come and go so quickly here!"
    "Kié, Kara!  I would not say there were no problems at all, but we did get back safely.  An' Themyscira iss quite a pretty place."

Kara Danvers has posed:
    Kara looks a little upset when Donna says that they took a mini-vacation to Themyscira.  "And you didn't invite me?"  There's a mock pout on her lips.  Soon, she's smiling again and gives Donna a two-armed hug.  "I wish I'd been with you all," she says after the hug and taking a step back.  "But it was probably for the best.  Magic situations don't mix with Kryptonian physiology.  I might have been more of a liability than a help."  Noticing Kian, she smiles and waves to him as well.  "Kie, Kian.  Glad to hear you are alright and enjoyed yourself there.  And it is a magnificent place."

Donna Troy has posed:
    Donna gives a big grin.  "Okay, so maybe I was underselling things a little.  Hades is not a place you want to go wandering around if you can help it.  And it really was an army of the zombie centaurs.  There were thousands of them.  There's an entrance to Hades on Themyscira, and the centaur army were trying to invade.  We beat them to the gate and gave a warning they were coming, so we had the Amazon army helping out on that one."
    "We won.  As a reward for their services, the boys were allowed to visit the island.  First men there in two thousand years."
    There's a look of satisfaction on Donna's face that she can't quite hide at that revelation.  Kara knows that Donna has wanted to persuade the queen to let her bring some of her male Titan friends to the island for a while now.  "Actually the main magical issue was a staircase.  Long story.  Long staircase.  It… was an experience.  Gave everyone a lot to think about, I think."
    "Oh, I mean… there were also a couple of gods interfering with things.  Including Hekate, who is literally the goddess of magic," Donna adds with a playful grin.  "You'd probably have hated her.  You wouldn't have been a liability though, Kara.  You're never a liability!"

Kian has posed:
    Kían tilts his head inquisitively at Donna.  "Haf you ever had an off-worlder there before?" he asks, then takes another sip of his sugar water.  Perfect.  One drop each of red and blue food coloring, and it's like the real thing.  "It still seems strange to me that you woul' restric' men from goin' there just because they are men, but…"
    Here comes the phrase that explains everything to Kían's satisfaction.
    "…Eart' iss weird.  An' the staircase was weird.  An' I should probably be worry that I am back in the Tower and that seems so completely normal now."
    Big grin.

Kara Danvers has posed:
    With the initial shock over, Kara's mind is catching up on what she's been told.  "Wait… WHAT?"  She looks at Donna and Kian in amazement.  "The Queen let the boys…."  It takes a few moments for even her super-fast mind to figure things out.  "Does that mean the ban is lifted?" she asks with growing interest.  "Or was this just a one-time thing for the boys?  Or…."  Kara slows down, takes a deep breath, and calms helself.  "Sorry.  Just… this is really major, you know?  Even if it's not a total lifting of the ban and a one-time thing, it's still a major step for Themyscira."  She smiles, always enjoying when any society she's in makes progress.  "So.  Anything we need to be on alert for?" she asks her teammates.  "It's been kind of quiet around here.  Not much happening outside the normal crimes."

Donna Troy has posed:
    "That's… a good question, Kara," Donna says, tilting her head to one side.  "Want a Snacky Shake?  I'm going to get myself another.  It ended a tradition that we didn't let men on the island.  It sets a precedent, but it's not like it suddenly changes everything.  I mean nobody, male or female, gets to visit without the express permission of the queen anyway.  Visitors have generally been very rare.  Diana brought Caitlin there in 2017, and that was some very special circumstances—but I think Hippolyta has realized that once she let one of her daughters invite a friend home for a sleep-over she wouldn't ever be able to shut that door again.  She just tries to encourage us to be reasonable about it all…."
    She goes to the fridge and pulls out a couple of Snacky Shake bottles, waving one towards Kara with a questioningly raised eyebrow.  "Of course there has been an off-worlder there before, Kian.  I mean Kara here is an off-worlder, and you know she came along last time.  Also, there are some people who…."  Donna stops, tilting her head curiously at Kian.  "Uh… Kian?  What exactly are you drinking there?"

Kian has posed:
    Kían actually winces when Kara says things have been 'quiet'.  "I haf learn this much," he says.  "When thin's are quiet, the las' thing to do is to comment that they are, because that means they very soon will not be."
    The birdman sips his drink.  "We were out of the purple stuff," he explains, "so I haf made more.  It does not even require the little packet of powder!"

Kara Danvers has posed:
    Kara smiles and waves off the shake.  "Thanks.  But I had three Belly Busters and a large fries from BBB before I came here for the workout.  Gotta still look good in the spandex, you know?"  She nods with Donna's words, understanding completely.  "I get it.  Krypton was a… conservative society."  That's putting it mildly.  "But, while there are risks to allowing outsiders into your home, I think the benefits outweigh those risks.  And, it also gives Themyscira a chance to expand it's message and influence in the outside world.  It'll make Diana's job easier in the long run."

Donna Troy has posed:
    Donna gives Kara a nod, taking out just a single Snacky-Shake for herself.  "Kian, you do know about ordering supplies on the touchscreen, right?  The one built into the door of the fridge.  Just hold down the button beside it a moment and you can put in a grocery delivery order.  You're allowed to order your own kool-ade you know.  Or at least add it to the current order, it would be a bit wasteful to get them to deliver just kool-ade.  You can't order Themysciran brandy though, it's not stocked in American stores."
    Donna flashes Kara a grin, and gives her a not-actually-whispered aside: "Kian discovered brandy on Themyscira.  Everyone was impressed by how much he's able to drink."  She cracks the lid on her shake and downs half of it before continuing.
    "Believe me, Kara. I've been telling mom exactly that for years.  I mean nobody there wants to open it to vacationers or anything like that.  But I'm pushing for us to open an embassy for Man's World on Themyscira, just as we've opened a Embassy for Themyscira in New York.  Make an opportunity for the exchange of ideas.  She's coming around to the idea slowly.  I mean… thousands of years of tradition can't be broken overnight, even when people start to see it's unhelpful tradition."

Kara Danvers has posed:
    "Tradition is good," Kara says.  "It provides a sense of stability and communal identity."  She sighs and gives a sad smile.  "But tradition can also calcify a society.  Imprison it.  Prevent needed changes to keep it thriving.  Krypton is a lesson in how tradition can doom a species and culture…."  Using her homeworld as an object lesson makes Kara sad, but she can handle it now.  Honest, she can.  She might hug herself, but she's not crying.
    After a deep breath, Kara smiles at Kian.  "There's also many of us with civilian identities that can do small shopping trips without drawing a lot of attention.  You can always ask one of us to go shopping on our way to the towere from time to time, Kian.  I know it's no problem for me to pick up a few things on my way here."

Kian has posed:
    "This iss much easier, an' I think I like it better.  The purple stuff did not taste like grapes anyway," Kían explains.  "I suppose I will haf to label it the way Kori's pizzas get labeled so no one gets into it thinkin' it iss the store stuff."
    He watches Kara thoughtfully.  "I wonder if that iss a problem on my worl'.  We haf not had contac' with other races yet—I do not count, my bein' here iss an accident.  An' there are so many thin's I think are normal that Eart' does not, and that Eart' thinks iss normal an' I do not.  An' there are probably thin's that I think are so normal I haf not even talk about them to anyone, that they woul' think iss completely strange."
    He takes another sip, and then gets some ice for it.  "It iss all very same on my worl'.  I haf start to wonder if that iss healthy."

Donna Troy has posed:
    "And those of us without civilian identities who aren't too bothered either.  I don't get recognized that often if I'm not in armor and don't have a lasso with me," Donna says with a laugh.  "But Kian, you could go to the shop yourself too.  I think people in St. Martin's have got pretty used to seeing you flying around by now.  You might have to put up with people asking for autographs from time to time, but it's no big deal."
    Donna gives Kara a thoughtful, sympathetic look, and takes a moment considering her answer.  "I think… there are advantages and disadvantages.  It has kind of worked for Kian's people, because they haven't made contact with other species.  Krypton and Earth both have.  In the case of Krypton, they chose an isolationist path, and that put them at odds with other species.  While it's all much newer for Earth yet, so far we have embraced our visitors for other worlds.  We have tried to understand other races and make them our friends.  That's a large part of why the more hostile visitors to our world have done so poorly.
    "The Titans first started back in 2012, during the first major invasion of Earth.  This planet was aware that there was a galaxy filled with many huge civilizations, but we didn't think of ourselves as part of it.  There was J'onn and Kal, of course.  But they were individuals.  A few other contacts, but it was all very much… outside.  Then the Alien Alliance invasion happened.  Several great space empires allied to invade our world.  Everyone assumed Earth was doomed.  But we fought.  And we had those alien friends fighting along side us.  And we made new friends, too.  Neutral forces decided that we may be primitives, but we were tolerant primitives, and we were friendly and open, unlike our attackers.  They came to our aid.  That wouldn't have happened if we had closed ourselves off."

Kian has posed:
    "I jus' worry sometimes what happens if my worl', or the homeworl', gets noticed.  Eart' has been able to repel invasions, but Eart' has more people wit' powers than I can count.  Wit' me here, my worl's have no one."
    Sip.
    "But, maybe that iss why I feel like Eart' iss home.  I am not the only one.  I do not know if anyone really knows what that means to me."
    Sip.
    "It iss a lot."

Kara Danvers has posed:
    "She's right, Kian," Kara says with a smile.  "Maybe come out a few times with others like me or Donna.  But people here will get used to you.  It might take a bit longer for them to adjust to you than they did to me, but it will happen.  Humanity are good at heart.  There's a few bad ones, but far more good and accepting ones.  Maybe it's easy for me and Donna to say, because we can blend in with them so easily."  She shrugs.  "But there are lots of heroes that can't blend in who are accepted and loved by humans.  The Thing.  Beast.  You'll become accepted too, I know it."

Donna Troy has posed:
    "I think Kian won't have too much trouble, Kara," Donna says with a wide smile, giving her Kryptonian friend a wink.  "Everyone knows he's a Titan now.  Some of the things we've done this last year and a bit, since the Titans reformed… Kian has done this world great service, and people know it.  There's a great video of him on youtube disabling a pair of Warzoon tanks during the battle at the Gateway Bridge.  Whoever filmed it managed to capture a really contemptuous look on his face when he was doing it, and people loved that."
    Kian may have a long way to go before he matches Kara's fame, but even when you're not wearing the symbol of El on your chest, having actual wings is unusual, and he does stand out in a crowd.  Or fly above the crowd, anyway.
    "It's a reasonable worry," Donna concedes.  "Hopefully we can locate your homeworld soon, not just so you can visit your friends and family there, but so that we can see what we can do about getting them some protection.  I'd hate if one of the less friendly species out there was first to make contact with them."

Kian has posed:
    Kían blinks at Donna.  "Did they?  I did not know that.  I am sorry, I do not want people to think I have contempt for what I do."  Yes, even though he counts Gar and Terry as family, he's still almost entirely disconnected from social media and rarely uses the Internet.
    He stretches and re-folds his wings neatly.  "I think I haf got use to bein' looked at.  If Eart' had more people wit' wings, maybe that would not happen so much.  But I think I haf very nice wings anyway, even if they are not an unusual color.  But I will never really understan' havin' differen' names an' identities.  I coul' not be anyone but Kían, wit' or wit'out my powers.  I mean," he adds hastily, "I will of course keep your secrets as needed… but I still do not understand the need, even though I will respec' it."
    His wings flex and fold, slowly and casually.  "Even if we fin' my worl' now, I think I wan' to stay.  There, everyone wan's me to be a research subjec', or a religious figure.  Here, you seem to jus' wan' me to be Kían."

Kara Danvers has posed:
    Kara smiles at Kian.  "I know how you feel.  Earth is my home now.  Even if Krypton still existed and I could go back… this is where I want to live.  Where I want to protect."  She smiles and gives a little shrug.  "The food here is way better, anyways."  Smiling, she steps back to the periphery of the room.  "So… everyone's okay?  Everything's stable?"  She looks back to Donna.  "And you know that Diana or Hippolyta can call on me, if there's a need.  Magic vulnerable or not, I'd be honored to stand beside the Amazons.  Not to mention you and Diana."

Donna Troy has posed:
    "No no Kian," Donna says with a grin before taking another swig of her shake.  "Nothing to say sorry about.  It's not contempt for what you do.  It was contempt for the Warzoon having the sheer bad taste to try to invade your adopted planet and try to hurt the people who share this world with you.  People loved to see it.  It made people feel good to see that even though there are aliens who want to attack us, there are other aliens who have embraced us and our world.  When people see you respond emotionally like that, they feel like you are one of us.  Understand?"
    Maybe the interpretation is over-generous.  Maybe people just liked to see the aliens having their asses handed to them.  But this is how Donna thinks.
    "If we find your world, hopefully we can help them.  And you'll be able to visit, to let them know you're still alive.  Share your experiences with your friends and family back home.  It's better to have two homes than one, take it from me. But this is your home now, and you will always be welcome here.  Kian is our friend, why would we want you to be anything other than Kian?"
    Donna gives Kara a quick nod of the head and a smile.  "Of course, Kara.  I can't say it would have hurt having you with us when we were fighting the Centaur.  There were a few minutes before the army could get there, where we were holding them off at the top of the stairs.  It was a narrow front, but the sheer weight of numbers was hard to deal with.  Of course when the army arrived, that was different… there isn't a whole lot that can stand in the way of a few thousand Amazons.  But yes, everything's okay now.  The Titans are fine, Themyscira is fine.  Problem dealt with.  And you still have an invitation to return to Themyscira if you ever need another break from the stresses of the world outside.  It can be just as important to sit beside people in peace as to stand beside them in war."

Kian has posed:
    Mention of the centaurs does get a genuine look of contempt from Kían.  "Those thin's… I am not proud of what I did, but I am not distressed by it either.  It was jus'… necessary.  At leas' Pol… or Saj… or Cas… nnh.  Too many names.  At leas' he iss not like those… those thin's."
    He shakes his head once.  "I do not think I understan', but I accep' it.  Eart' iss differen'."
    He glances at Kara.  "At leas' in principle I can go home.  I am sorry for the loss of your worl'," he says quietly.

Kara Danvers has posed:
    "From what Donna says, they weren't alive," Kara reassures Kian.  "Just think of them like… organic robots.  But it's good that you didn't enjoy having to do that.  It's what keeps you a hero."  She nods and goes over to touch Kian's arm.  "And thank you for the sympathy.  It still hurts sometimes.  But it's better.  And it gets better every day, since I have freinds like all of you."  Then, there's an alarm going off.  Not a trouble alarm, but a timer.  Kara pulls her cell phone from a pocket on the back side of her belt and turns the chime off.  "And, the sound of the bell means I need to head back to Metropolis.  I've got a paper to right and turn in tomorrow for class."  She gets a thought and looks at Donna.  "By the way… just so you and Diana know… I know a great new reporter at the Planet not named Lois Lane or Kara Danvers that could always use a few reports or interviews, if you're inclined."

Donna Troy has posed:
    Donna doesn't know how much of her trip to search out the ruins of her homeworld Kara has shared more widely with the Titans.  Specifically the discovery that Argos City had survived the destruction of Krypton—for a short while at least—and the possibility that Kara's mother might still be alive, trapped in the Phantom Zone.  These are not things to delve into in public situations, so Donna avoids that particular discussion, satisfying herself with a nod and a smile to her two fellow Titans.
    "I cannot guess how I would feel if I ever knew I could never go home to Themyscira again," Donna says.  "Or even simply no longer knew how to find it.  But we create new homes for ourselves when we meet people who become true friends.  You're both family.  You may have been born in homes on other worlds, but you will always find a home right here."

Kian has posed:
    "I jus' might wish it was the right size," Kian comments, half under his breath and with a slight smirk.  "My own home was about the size of the whole top section of the tower, an' iss considered a small home.  But I am use to this now, an' can spend as much time outside as I like."
    Which is a lot.
    "I think you woul' like visitin' my worl'.  It iss very peaceful an' quiet, an' I suspec' most people aroun' here coul' only tolerate that for a few days before they needed to come back to Eart' for all the noise an' activity."
    Yes, he's smirking.

Kara Danvers has posed:
    Kara knows about the possibility of survivors in the Phantom Zone.  She wants to investigate more before discussing it openly, though.  It's bad enough to get her hopes up, but she doesn't want her friends and teammates to get their hopes up for her, either.  So, best to keep things secret for now.  But, the has a cheerful smile and wave for Donna and Kian.  "See you guys later.  So glad you're all back…."  And with a blur of red and blue, and a woosh of air, Supergirl makes her exit.